Display sign



Nov. 23, 1937.

F. STONEBRAKER. SR

DISPLAY SIGN Filed June 29, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 w dmzmmw; BY a M 1937. F. STONEBRAKER, sR 2,100,111

vDI SPLAY S lGN Filed June 29, 1956 3 Sheets Sheet 2 Nov. 23, 1937. F. STONEBRAKER, SR 2,100,111

DISPLAY SIGN Filed June 29, 1956 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

wzwmg ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 23, 1937 PATENT OFFICE I DISPLAY SIGN Fred Stonebraker, Sr., San Diego, Calif., assignor,

,by direct and -mesne assignments, to Illusigraph Corporation, San Diego, Calif., a. corporation of California Application June 29, 1936, Serial No. 87,844

Claims. (01.. 40-126) This invention relates broadly to display devices and'particularly to display signs for depict-' lng realistically.translucent objects, such as bottles or other glass containers with or without 5, liquid therein, jellies andthe like.

An object of the invention is to provide a sign depicting a translucent object with a simulation of depth andnaturalness.

- Another object is to provide a sign simulating translucent objects with unusual naturalness and depth with a construction which is relatively inexpensive and relatively flat, that is, having an actual depth much less than the translucent object simulated-thereby.

It, *Other more specific objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description which refers to the drawings.

In the drawings:

29 Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of one form of sign-in accordance with the invention, depicting a. bottle containing liquid;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view in the plane IIII of Fig. 1;

25 Fig. 3 is a detailsectional view with the various elements of the signseparated to more clearly show the construction;

I Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of the translucent plate element. employed in the sign of 39 Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of the reflector element employed in the sign of Fig. 1;

Fig.6 is a cross section of the reflector taken in the plane VI' VI of Fig. 5;

Fig. '1 isa front elevational view of a slightly different form of sign in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view in the plane .VIII--VIJI of Fig.7;

4 9 Fig. 9 is a view showing the various elements of thesign in Fig. '7 separated to better illustrate the assembly;

- Fig. 10 is a front view of the reflector element of-the sign shown in Fig. '7; I

, Fig. 11 is an elevational view of the transparent plate element employed in the sign of Fig. 7;

I Fig. 12 is a frontelevational view of still another form of sign in accordance with the invention, depicting a molded mass of jelly;

59 Fig. 13 is a cross section in the plane XIII-XIII of Fig.12;

Fig." 14 is a viewshowing the different elements employed in the sign of Fig. 12 separated from each-other;

55 Fig, 15 is an elevational view of the transparent plate incorporated in the structure of Figs. 12, 13

and 14; and V c Fig. 16 is an elevational view of the reflector employed in this construction.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, the sign I construction therein depicted comprises a poster card! which may be of cardboard, fiber, metal or any other desired opaque material of desired dimensions, which may bear any desired decorative or advertising matter (not shown) and contains a window 2 in the outline of a translucent object to be simulated, which object in this case is a bottle. Positioned immediately back of the window 2 in card I is a plate 3 of transparent material, such as glass, Cellophane, Celluloid or the like, and back of the transparent plate 3 is positioned a reflector 4. The plate 3 and reflector 4 may. be retained in position close against the rear surface of the card I by a backing member 5, which in this instance is corrugated cardboard, secured at its margins to the card I by binding strips 6. It-Will be observed that the margins of the cardboard backing member 5 are brought snug against the card i so that entry of light be tween the edges of the reflector 4 and the transparent plate 3 is prevented.

A label 1, which may be an exact duplicate of the label on the bottle simulated, is secured to the front surface of the transparent plate 3. A short sheet 8 of colored translucent material such as Cellophane is positioned between the transparent plate 3 and the reflector 4 to simulate liquid in the bottle, the upper edge of the sheet 8 being positioned at the liquid level and the color of the sheet being chosen similar to the color of the liquid to be simulated. In some instances a better simulation of liquid is produced by crumpling the sheet 8 before placing it in the poster. Although the sheet is flattened out to a large extent after it has been crumpled, it still possesses irregularities which give a better simulation of liquid than does a perfectly flat sheet.

The reflector 4 is preferably of thin sheet metal having a highly polished surface. A thin sheet is desirable because it is less expensive and is very readily shaped by dyes to various figurations as hereinafter described. The shape of the reflector is one of the important features of my invention.

In the particular poster construction shown in Figs. 1 to 6, abottle is to be simulated which is of irregular outline having numerous obtuse edges extending in various directions on its surface. Some of these edges have been identified in Fig. 1 with the reference numerals l0, ll, l2, I3, l4, l5, I6, IT and I8, respectively, and are simulated to a certain extent by drawing corresponding lines on the transparent plate 3 as shown in Fig. 4, these lines being drawn with opaque paint. In this instance the bottle simulated is composed of a tinted glass and this tint is simulated by a coating of translucent varnish on the plate 3, this Varnish being shownrin the area 25, for example, in Fig. 4.

A poster, however, consisting merely of a translucent plate having lines drawn thereon,.

lacks depth and naturalness. I have found that a very realistic appearance conveying the three dimensions of the translucent object depicted may be had by placing the reflector 4 back of the plate 3 as described and forming in this reflector grooves and/or ridges positioned back of the lines on the transparent plate 3 which partially simulate the edges of the object. Thus referring to Figs. 5 and 6, it will be observed that the reflector 4 has a groove 22 therein which is positioned approximately back of the line I0, a second groove 23 positioned approximately back of the line H in the transparent plate 3 and a ridge 24 in between these grooves. Similar grooves and ridges are provided on the opposite side of the reflector backof the lines l2 and I3 on the transparent plate. it willralso be observed that grooves 25, 26, '21, 28 and 29 are formed in the reflector juxtaposed to the lines l1", I6, l4, l5- and I8, respectively, on the transparent plate 3. Although these grooves and ridges are relatively shallow (as will be seen by reference to Fig. 6) as compared to the actual depth of the bottle simulated by the poster,

they cooperate with-the lines on the transparent,

andcan be mounted in a poster without imparting to the latter substantial thickness.

Referring now to Figs. '7 to 11, inclusive,-a slightly different sign construction is depicted.- In this instance a wine glass partially filled with wine is to be simulated and a card 30 is provided having a window 3| in the outline of the wine glass. The card 30 may bear suitable legends and advertising matter and also bears the picture of a hand 32 which appears to be grasping the stem of the wine glass depicted.

Positioned partly within the window 3| the card 30 and partly back of the card is a transparent plate 33 of glass, Cellophane, Celluloid or the like, back of which is mounted a thin metal reflector 34, which is held in place against the card 30 by a backing member 35 of cardboard or the like which is secured at its margins to the rear surface of the ,card 30 as by adhesive strips 35.

, edges of the glass, as clearly shown in Figs. 8

vation viewof Fig. 11, bears translucent shading .3! simulating the color of a wine which is supposed to be containedinthe glass, and other shading 38 and 3811 which simulates the color of'the glass itself; The wine glass depicted 1's .lating the flutes in the glass. the glass between the ridges 44 are slightly concave. Slight transverse crescent-shaped ridges Referring to Fig. .5,

supposed to be fluted and the shading 31 is so outlined as to roughly simulate the fiuting. The reflector 34 in this instance is provided with ridges 38 simulating the side edges of the glass, a central ridge 40 extending down the stem of the glass, the ridges 4|, 42, 43 simulating the base of the glass. That portion of the reflector betweenthe marginal ridges .39 is slightlydished and also contains slight curved ridges 44 simu- The portions of 45 simulate the liquid. level in the glass.

The reflector of the particular construction describedwith reference to Fig. 10 and positioned back of the transparent plate 33 having the markings 31, 38 and 38a thereon, gives an impression of depth which it is impossible to obtain without the reflector.

which are positioned insuccession a transparent" plate 52, a sheet 53 of translucent colored paper material such as Cellophane, a reflector 54, and a reflector support 54a, all of which'are held in place against the card 50 by a backing member 55, the edges of which are secured to the card 50. In this instance the reflector 54consists of a sheet of bright metal foil whichlhasbeen crumpled and then partially flattened out: and pressed against the reflector support 54a, the latter sup porting the foil and imparting'toit the grooves and ridges to be described later. The slightly irregular reflecting: surface produced by crumpling the foil produces a natural simulation of a slightly irregular jelly surface. 1

The poster 50 bears on its front surface below the window 5| a picturization of a-plate 56 bearing a dessert consisting of a mass 51 of white ma.- terial such as whipped cream, in the center of which is placed a molded mass of jelly which; is outlined by a window 5|. This jelly may be or any desired color, which color is'simulated by the sheet 53 of translucent color material positioned back of the plate 52. In addition, the plate 52 may be coated with a colored varnishmadeheavler in certain areas (Fig. 15) topartially siinu late flutes on the surface of the jelly. Theirregular surface of the jelly is further simulated with great naturalness by forming troughs 58 in the reflector support 54a. back of the shaded area 51 in the plate;52 and forming ridges or grooves 59 in the reflector back of thesha'ded areas'ifl on the transparent plate 52 to simulate f concentric ridges at the top of the jelly body) It should be particularly observed that-whereas in some instances better realism is obtained by drawing opaque lines on the transparent plate juxtaposed to the grooves and/or ridges of the reflector, in other instances best results areobtained by merely shading'the transparent plate with a translucent coloring material. "Thus in the depiction of the bottles shown in Figsf-l to 6, the simulation is improved by the use" of the opaque lines III to l8, respectively, whereas in the arrangement shown in Figs. 7 to 11, and Figs. 12 to 16, the best simulation is effected without the use of opaque lines but with the use of translucent color shading.

In general, the method of producing the silhouette of the translucent body depicted is immaterial to the present invention. Therefore, the expression framed as used in the'claims is intended to cover any and'all methods of depicting the silhouette of the translucent object, whether it is done by means of an opaque frame having an opening therein in theshape of the object, as shown in the drawings, or by merely shaping the transparent plate and reflector in the outline of the object depicted, as shown in my Patent No. 2,031,620, issued February 25, 1936. It is also immaterial whether the opaque frame, when one is used, is disposed in front of the transparent plate, back of it, or in the same plane.

The lines, markings or coloring on the transparent plate may be on either the front or rear surface thereof, but it is usually preferable to have them on the rear surface so as not to interfere with the glossy efiect produced by reflection of light from the front surface of the plate. Incidentally, the invention is also useful in depicting with great naturalness objects of china or the like, which although having an opaque base, have glazed or translucent coatings thereon which impart a high gloss. The expression translucent body as used in the claims is intended to include such objects as well as those which are composed entirely of translucent materials.

Although the invention has been described with reference to three distinct embodiments for purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that various modifications may be made in the specific structure shown without departing from the invention and the latter is to be limited only as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim: I

1. A sign comprising a sheet of transparent material framed in the outline of a translucent body to be simulated, which body has an irregular surface of substantial depth, in combination with a reflector positioned back of said sheet of transparent material for reflecting light through said sheet, in which said reflector has surface irregularities therein to simulate the irregularities in the surface of the body and said transparent sheet has shading thereon juxtaposed to irregularities of said reflector.

2. A sign comprising a sheet of transparent material framed in the outline of a translucent body to be simulated, which body has an irregular surface and substantial depth in combination with a reflector positioned back of said sheet of transparent material for reflecting light through said sheet, in which said reflector has surface irregularities to simulate the irregularities in the surface of the body depicted and said transparent plate has translucent colored shading thereon juxtaposed to said irregularities of said reflector.

3. A sign comprising a sheet 'of transparent material framed in the outline of a translucent body to be simulated, which body has an irregular surface and substantial depth in combination with a reflector positioned back of said sheet of transparent material for reflecting light through said sheet, in which said reflector has surface irregularities to simulate the irregularities in the surface of the body depicted and said transparent plate has opaque shading juxtaposed to irregularities of the reflector.

4. A-sign comprising a sheet of transparent material framed in the outline of a translucent container partially filled with liquid to be simulated, in combination withfa reflector positioned back of said sheet of transparent material for reflecting light through said sheet, and a sheet of colored translucent paper material positioned between said transparent plate and reflector with the upper edge of said sheet positioned to simulate the liquid level in the container.

5. A sign construction as described in claim 4 in which said sheet of colored translucent paper material is crumpled.

FRED STONEBRAKER, SR. 

